Online Reporter
The 2025 Rural Industrialisation Indaba kicks off on Tuesday at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre Hall Two, where several speakers, including cabinet ministers, are billed to make presentations.
The Indaba is being held under the theme; Inclusive Growth, Industrial Roots: Unlocking Zimbabwe’s Rural Potential.
Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the President’s Office Mr Tafadzwa Muguti will give opening remarks at the Indaba.
Cabinet Ministers on the lineup are Minister of Mines and Mining Development Winston Chitando, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Monica Mutsvangwa, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo and Nqobizitha Ndlovu, Industry and Commerce Minister.
After presentations by Cabinet Ministers, each of the eight rural provinces’ Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution will take to the podium for their presentations.
They will also be a presentation b the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) on the Procurement and Electronic Government Procurement System that will be represented by Mr Freddy Ndlovu, the PRAZ director for Information, Communication and Technology.
The Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube will give her keynote address and also officially open the Indaba.
Senior Reporter, Sikhumbuzo Moyo will be giving us live updates from the Indaba.
Government steps up devolution efforts with nationwide deployment
THE Public Service Commission has deployed 550 officials who are experts in various fields to all the country’s 10 provinces to ensure that devolution is fully implemented.
This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the President’s Office Mr Tafadzwa Muguti, in his opening remarks at the inaugural Rural Industrialisation Indaba that has kicked off at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC).
Mr Muguti told delegates that include the Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube, various cabinet Ministers, captains of industry and senior Government officials Zimbabwe was not going back on devolution and was very clear that the programme is paramount to the success of the country as outlined in Chapter 14 of the country’s constitution.
In January this year, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce unveiled the Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan for the period 2024-2025.
This initiative aims to enhance the domestic economy by promoting the procurement of locally produced goods.
Zimbabwe aims to spur rural growth through mandatory corporate investment
GOVERNMENT is contemplating coming up with a law that will make it mandatory for companies to invest back in areas where they are operating.
This was revealed by the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Polite Kamambura, in his presentation at the Rural Industrialisation Indaba that is taking place at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre.
Deputy Minister Kamambura said the time was now for corporates to move away from non-mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility to Corporate Social Investment in an effort to accelerate national Industrialisation, which will in turn spur rural Industrialisation, in line with the Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan.
Deputy Minister Kamambura noted that most, if not all, mining companies are in rural areas, yet there is little development in those provinces.
The Indaba has so far seen all eight rural provinces, as represented by the Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution or their representative, taking to the podium to briefly highlight their provinces’ competitive advantages.
Inclusivity key to rural industrialisation
THE success of rural industrialisation hinges on inclusivity, where all members of the community, regardless of gender, age, or socioeconomic status, must have a stake in this transformative process.
Speaking at the inaugural Rural Industrialisation Indaba, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Albert Mavhunga said local Governments have a crucial role to play in the industrialisation process and so do the traditional leaders.
“As custodians of our national culture, tradition, and heritage, traditional leaders hold a unique position in guiding and supporting initiatives that foster rural development. They are instrumental in mobilizing communities around shared goals and ensuring that industrialization efforts align with local customs and values,” said Deputy Minister Mavhunga
He said that whatever commitments will be made towards rural Industrialisation, it must be done bearing in mind that traditional leaders have a crucial role to play. He said their involvement is essential not only in fostering community buy-in but also in enhancing the legitimacy of development initiatives, thereby paving the way for sustainable economic growth.
Deputy Minister Mavhunga called upon local authorities to leverage on initiatives such as the Presidential Borehole Scheme and the Presidential Solarisation Programme, which will be instrumental in enhancing service delivery, particularly in rural areas.
He said the development of rural economies through industrialisation is also critical for rural local authorities to achieve town board status and the designation is vital for opening up new avenues for attracting investment into communities, thereby facilitating further economic development.
“The attainment of a town board status is critical for enhancing the perception of our rural local authorities as viable investment destinations, which will lead to increased funding and resources for infrastructure and services,” said Deputy Minister Mavhunga.
Small businesses can drive rural growth through value-added products
AS the nation pursues the ambitious rural industrialisation, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises lie at the bedrock of the drive.
Statistics as highlighted in the 2021 MSME Survey and 2022 Finscope Survey, show that the sector contributes more than 60 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides employment to more than five million individuals.
In her presentation at the Rural Industrialisation Indaba, the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Monica Mutsvangwa said this position is also affirmed by the recent Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) 2024 Manufacturing sector survey which showed that at least 60 percent of manufacturing enterprises in the country are Small and Medium sized.
She said the sector is also dominated by women, who constitute 56.4 percent of the enterprise owners.
“Given the foregoing, for our rural industrialisation drive to succeed, there is an urgent need for us to develop strategies to support women and SMEs to engage in value-added activities such as food processing, packaging, and labelling to increase the value of our agricultural produce. SMEs in rural areas can also be supported to manufacture goods such as furniture, clothing, and household items, which can be sold locally or exported,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
Furthermore, said the Minister, SMEs can be at the forefront of promoting renewable energy solutions such as solar and biogas, which can provide energy for rural households and industries.
“The production of handicrafts such as textiles, pottery, and woodcarvings, which can be sold locally or exported and the development of rural tourism initiatives, such as homestays, ecotourism, and cultural tourism, which can generate income and create jobs can also be used as avenues to accelerate rural industrialisation,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
